1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a polymeric resin for optical fiber strips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known optical fibers comprise a double polymeric coating constituted by a plasticized primary coating in contact with the glass fiber and itself covered by a secondary coating.
This double coating protects the fiber against mechanical or chemical attack which could increase optical transmission attenuation.
Such polymers are also used to join fibers together to produce strips for use in optical cables. Existing fibers and strips use urethane acrylate type polymeric coatings which are photoreticulated under ultraviolet light. The optical fibers, which are distinguishable by a thin colored organic layer, are assembled together side-by-side by a urethane acrylate resin.
Strips which are made in this fashion are not able to slip over each other sufficiently to optimize cable compactness. In addition, the strip resin adheres too strongly to the thin colored organic layers of the individual fibers when the resin has to be removed to connect the individual fibers of two strips. Finally, urethane acrylates can absorb a considerable quantity of moisture but even ground transmission applications of optical fibers require optimum imperviousness to ingress of moisture.
An object of the present invention is to improve urethane acrylate type resins for their use in fiber optic strips.